ABSTRACT
Background: Postmenopausal women have higher severity of coronary heart disease (CHD) than premenopausal women and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is an independent risk factor. Aim: To assess the severity of CHD in pre and postmenopausal patients undergoing coronary angiography and the impact of T2DM in both groups. Material and Methods: A coronary angiography was performed to 707 women due to suspected CHD during 2013 and 2014. Of these, 579 were older than 55 years and were considered as postmenopausal. Factors such as hypertension, obesity, smoking, creatinine and T2DM were registered. The severity of CHD in coronary angiography was evaluated according to the number of vessels with more than 50% stenosis. Results: Compared to their postmenopausal counterparts, premenopausal women had less frequency of T2DM (31% and 42% p < 0.033), hypertension (52 and 78%, p < 0.001) and alteration of renal function (11 vs. 39%, p < 0.001). Absence of coronary lesions was found in 44 and 32% of premenopausal and postmenopausal women, respectively (p < 0.01). Premenopausal women with T2DM had a higher frequency of multi-vessel disease than those without the disease (25 and 4.5%, p < 0.001). The frequency of multi-vessel disease was higher in postmenopausal than premenopausal women (24 and 11%, p < 0.01). Hypertension, T2DM and renal involvement were associated with a higher frequency multiple vessel disease. Conclusions: The severity of CHD is higher in postmenopausal women and T2DM is associated with the disease.